Introduction

Say: 'This is
my way: I invite to Allaah on/with clear knowledge - I and whomever follows
me (does this). Glorified is Allaah, and I am not of the polytheists."
(12:108),

This is one of the aayaat that our
righ teous predecessors extract the rules/principles/basics of Da'wah from.
The Arabic term is Usool ad-Da`wah and is used interchangeably with the
word Minhaaj.

Qul ~ "Say"

We are instructed to inform the people
whatever follows after the command of "say". This aayah, as well as all
the others, is being addressed to the Muslims in general and the Prophet
in particular as to how we are to give Da`wah. In it are important commands
for us to implement. Thus, we should learn them, understand them, and apply
them.

Haadhihi Sabeelee
~
"This is my way"

The word Sabeel is synonymous with the
words Tareeq, Minhaaj, and Sunnah. The Companion Ibn Abbaas explained "the
Shar`ee (laws) and Minhaaj (methodology) as the Sabeel (way) and Sunnah
(example)" - Bukhaaree p. 16.

The instruction that follows is the
Sunnah of Da`wah, and it is very important that it be adhered to. It is
as follows:

Ad`oo Ilallaah
~ "I invite..."

This phrase is in the first person,
singular of the present tense of the verb da`aa. It means: I am calling,
I do summon, I bid/beckon/invite. to Allaah. This does not mean
we call people to where Allaah is - above His Throne which is above the
seven heavens over the heavenly waters. What it means is we summon people
to the meaning of Laa ilaaha illaallaah which is "none is
worthy of worship except Allaah, and it also to call people to His Deen,
to His Uniqueness, and knowledge of Him by way of His Perfect Attributes.

There is a science of the Arabic
language in which a part of a phrase can be used when it is actually referring
to the whole phrase. This science is being applied when the aayah states
to
Allaah because it is referring to the Kalimah (Laa ilaaha illaallaah).
The reverse of this is also a science in which an entire phrase is used
when it is actually referring to part of a phrase, e.g.
<>(2:19)
The word fingers is used but it is actually referring to the fingertips
(of possibly only two fingers yet the Jam` case of three or more is used).

So it is here that Allaah tells us
to invite the people to Tawheed. Clearly notice that we are not commanded
to summon the people to any individual (regardless of how knowledgeable),
any organization or masjid, any way of thinking, any project, nationalism,
interfaith dialogue, ism or schism, etc. We are only commanded to call
the people to the meaning of Laa ilaaha illaallaah.

`Alaa Baseerah
~ "with clear knowledge"

This part the aayah tells us HOW to
invite the people to the statement of Tawheed: Laa ilaaha illaallaah.
The word Baseerah is not simple one to translate into English, however,
for right now we'll use the word knowledge.

Baseerah means Daleel and Burhaan
(clear proofs and evidences). The word Daleel literally means guide. Often
people ask the question "What is your Daleel (evidence/proof from the Quraan
and authentic Sunnah)?" So what they are literally asking for is "guidance"
because this is what revelation does - it guides us. Thus, this is HOW
we invite the people toTawheed: with proofs/evidences from the Ouraan and
authentic Sunnah!

Evidence can be produce by two basic
ways:

Naqlee - transmitted evidence:
the Quraan and authentic Sunnah, and the statements, understanding, and
practical application of the Sahaabah, and

`Aqlee - rational evidence: views
based on scholarly understanding of the Quraan and authentic Sunnah related
to the issue at hand (we begin with Sahaabah/ Companions, then the Taabi`oon/Successors,
then the Atbaa` at-Taabi`een/Followers of the Successors, and any of the
scholars who follow their Minhaaj (which is abiding by the Quraan and authentic
Sunnah and discarding personal, unfounded opinions) e.g. al-Bukhaaree,
Ibn Taymeeyah, ash-Shawkaanee, M. ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, al-Albaanee and several
others; and the linguistics of the Arabic language which must always
be dependent on and consistent with revelation. We must note that we always
seek an answer from the transmitted texts, and only go to rational points
that are made based on Quraan and authentic Sunnah when we - via the
scholars - are unable to find an answer within the transmitted texts.

One of our eminent scholars, Ibn al
Qayyim al-Jawzeeyah stated, "Knowledge is what Allaah says, what the Prophet
says, and what the Companions say."

Therefore, in light of the above,
one must, be knowledgable in whatever he is inviting the people to. This
is a very important condition of Baseerah because if one does not know
what he's talking about he could be inviting people to Kufr and Shirk and
Bid`ah and Kabaa'ir and other Muharaamaat. The Prophet said, The seeking
of knowledge (of religious matters) is mandatory upon every Muslim
(al-Bayhaqee); and Allaah says, <>(47:19)
and <>(12:108).

A second condition of Baseerah is
that the daa`ee (inviter) should be familiar with whom he is giving da`wah
to. This is important because having this knowledge may be benefcial in
convincing the invitee(s) to accept Islaam because the daa`ee would know
how (or how not) to approach his audience. When the Prophet commissioned
Mu`aadh to be the governor of Yamaan, he abreasted him that he was assigning
him to an area that was predominately of Jews and Christians (see Bukhaaree
vol.9 #469 and Muslim vol. 1 #27). With this information it would be useful
for Mu`aadh to know that he would be around people who had some knowledge
of the previously-revealed divine scriptures because the approach we use
with a Confucianist would not necessarily be the same approach we use for
a Sabean or for a Christian, etc. Likewise, it may be better to send our
Muslim brother Mustafaa O'Connell to Ireland than it would be to send someone
of British origin (because generally people are more comfortable with others
who are similar to themselves - and notwithstanding the ongoing conflict
between the two nations).

This hadeeth concerning Mu`aadh is
also a proof for the first condition of Baseerah because the rest of the
hadeeth informs us that the Prophet told Mu`aadh to instruct the people
in the basics of Islaam. In order for Mu`aadh to do this he himself would
first have to have knowledge of Tawheed, Ittibaa` ar-Rasool, Tahaarah,
Salaah, etc. And let us take special note that the first tbing that the
Prophet ordered him to do was: invite the people to Laa ilaaha illaallaah.

A third condition of Baseerah is
to be respectful, polite, humble, and the like, yet not compromising any
Islaamic principles (like shaking hands with the opposite sex or sipping
non-virgin cocktails) -while conveying the Da`wah. Allaah instructed Moosaa
and Haaroon
<>(20:43,44),
and <>(3:
159). Furthermore, we should not insult those things that the disbelievers
worship besides Allaah, e.g. in the 70's when I was a member of the Nation
of Kufr (the "so called" Nation of Islam) I used to say to my parents "How
can we you worship that white, blue-eyed, hippie devil [Jesus]?' Although,
both of us was in a state of disbelief when I accosted them in this manner
it naturally brought about a defensive response (which will make it harder
to convice someone of your point). To ridicule and blaspheme the gods that
people worship besides Allaah is in opposition to Allaah's command <>
(6:108).

Also, we don't use rap songs to give
Da`wah. Yes, music and instruments existed in the time of the Companions,
yet with their knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and practice of Islaam
(that will not be superceded by any other generation before their time
and after it) did not use music to give Da`wah. In fact they did not listen
to music at all.

This third condition of Baseerah
means that we do not tell the people the consequences Allaah has planned
for anyone who does not live according to His prescriptions and proscriptions.
From several aayaat and ahaadeeth we can see that it is the Sunnah of Allaah
and the Sunnah of His Messenger to tell the people about dreadful and tormenting
punishments for the disobedient.

Anaa wa Manittaba`anee
~ "I and whomever follows me (does this)"

The Prophet and whomever follows him
obeys the orders that just was given by Allaah: to invite the people to
Tawheed with proofs and evidences/certified and bonafide knowledge. For
the second time in this aayah this command of Allaah is attached to the
Sunnah of the Prophet. We should pay very strict attention to this because
in Allaah's infinite wisdom He knows why this is being repeated in the
same aayah. So if we adhere to the orders given to us then we can consider
ourselves as believing and following the Messenger of Allaah as this part
of the aayah states.

The Arabic word man is a particle
that is general. It is not restricted to any place or time. Whether one
is a companion of the Prophet , or is born of Slavic descent, or lives
in 17th century Salem, or emerges from the pre-historic Flintstone age,
or plays golf on the moon, the whomever, wherever, and whenever
does not make any difference - as long as he is following the Prophet he
is abiding by the dictates of Allaah. <>(4:80).

The Da`wah of Islaam has three aspectsto
it: Tawheed(monotheism),Ittibaa` ar-Rasool (following the Messenger: Sunnah),
and Tazkeeyah (sanctification of the heart: the result of believing in
Tawheed and following the Sunnah).

Wa Subhaanallaah
~ "and glorified is Allaah"

This Dhikr is usually translated into
English as such but the denotative meaning of this phrase is "Allaah is
far above and removed from any indignities, deficiencies, limitations,
and lies that are attributed to Him", which connotes that He is hallowed/glorified.
Included in this He's far above having any partners, peers, equals, companions,
mate, or offspring.

Wa Maa Anaa Minal-Mushrikeen
~ "and I am not of the polytheists."

This means that the Prophet and all
those who follow him are not of the deen of the disbelievers.

Usool ad-Da'wah/Conclusion

The foundation or rudiments of inviting
people to Allaah (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah) is given
to us in this aayah and other aayaat. What we must do is learn them, understand
them, and apply them. This is the methodology of Da`wah of all the prophets:
Muhammad, Yoosuf (AS), Aadam (AS), et al. What these righteous individuals
did was call the people to Tawheed with proofs.

Illuminating
the Way: Priorities in Calling to the Message[Abridged
& edited version of 1st Prize Winner in IANA's "Priorities in Bearing
the Message Writing Contest"] Al-Jumu`ah Magazine, Ramadhan 1417 H

In every age, the Prophets
`alaihimussalaam, worked on reforming their societies by calling people
to the message that Allah subhaanahu wa ta`ala sent them with. Today, Muslims
are suffering in all spheres of life, while non-Muslim nations continue
in their ignorance of purpose and path in this life. To reform these, it
is essential for Muslims to follow the model of the Prophet of Islam sallallahu
alayhe wa sallam and, after firmly grasping the message themselves, call
others to it. Muslims therefore must exercise their efforts and use all
permissible means to invite others to the truth they have. Bearing the
message is a serious responsibility and a noble task and as such it has
to be performed with knowledge, seriousness, consideration and wisdom.
In embarking in such an effort, what are the priorities that one should
keep as a guide?

The Qur'an
shows, in no uncertain terms, that the message and the top priority of
all the Prophets was one and the same: The message of Tawheed.

Tawheed means "the realizing and
maintaining of Allah's unity in all of man's actions which directly or
indirectly relate to Him. It is the belief that Allah is One, without partner
in His dominion and His actions (Ruboobeeyah), One without similitude in
His essence and attributes (Asmaa wa Sifaat), and one without rival in
His divinity and in worship (Ulooheeyah)." Muhammad ibn `Abdillaah sallallaahu
alayhe wassalam, the last Prophet to be sent to the mankind and the Jinn,
was ordered by Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) in the Qur'an to say:

"Say you (O Muhammad): 'This is my
way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism)
with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others
to Allah i.e. to the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge.
And Glorified and Exalted be Allah (above all that they associate as partners
with Him). And I am not of the Mushrikoon (polytheists; those who worship
others along with Allah or set up rivals or partners to Allah).'" [al-Qur'an,
Yusuf(12):108]

Tawheed
is the single most important concept in Islam and the top priority in bearing
the Message. The following evidence shows this in a clear way.

The oft-quoted reference with regards
to priorities and gradation in da`wah is the famous hadeeth reported by
Ibn `Abbas radhiyallahu `anhu: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam sent
Mu`aadh to Yemen and said, "Invite the people to testify that Laa ilaaha
ill Allah [none has the right to be worshipped but Allah] and that I am
the Messenger of Allah. And if they obey you in that, then inform them
that Allah has enjoined upon them five daily prayers in every day and night,
and if they obey you in that, then inform them that Allah has made it obligatory
for them to pay the Zakaat from their properties and it is to be taken
from the wealthy among them and given to the poor among them.

It was for this reason, that the
Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassallam stayed in Makkah for thirteen years,
calling people to the correct understanding of the Oneness of Allah (subhanahu
wa ta`ala), and making worship solely for Him.

The best
of generations, the Companions radhiyallahu `anhum, learned their religion
from the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam himself and continued in keeping
the same priorities, strengthening belief before anything else.

Abdullah ibn `Umar said, "We lived
during an instant of time in which one of us would receive faith first
before receiving the Qur’an and when the surahs were revealed we would
learn what they permitted and what they ordered and what should be the
stance towards them. But I have seen men from whom one is given the Qur’an
before iman and he reads it from the opening of the Book to its closing
and he does not know what it orders and what it forbids and what should
be his stance towards it. He is like someone who is just throwing out dates
[i.e. he does not get any benefit from his recital]."

.Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Abdul-Khaaliq,
in his treatise on the priorities of the Islamic work in the West, also
clearly explains that Tawheed is the top priority:

"The first priority Muslims of the
West must preserve is Tawheed. Believing in the oneness of Allah and worshipping
Him Alone is the reason behind creation. Tawheed makes a Muslim different
from the disbelievers. Muslims who live in the West are different from
the disbelievers because of their Islam. Iman (faith) is the way to success
and the true Path of Allah. Whoever concentrates on this life and ignores
the next life will be the one who loses both".

"Da`wah
should start with fundamental issues, before proceeding with those that
are less central. The Oneness of Allah is the beginning and the end. Each
deed should be connected with it."

Having shown that the first priority
is calling to correct beliefs and faith in Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala),
it is important to understand the underlying reasons as to why this primary
objective remains true in all places and at all times. As Sayyed Qutb writes
in Milestones: "Those who call toward God's Religion and want to establish
the way of life prescribed by this Religion should ponder at length over
this significant fact, that for thirteen years the Qur'an exclusively expounded
this faith and did not deviate from this issue to describe the details
of that system which was to be established on this faith or any laws for
the organization of the Muslim society."

The basis and the strength of this
call lies in our testimony of faith, "la ilaha ill Allah." Allah (subhanahu
wa ta`ala) says in the Qur'an: "A good word is like a good tree, its roots
are firm and its branches are in heaven; so it gives its produce every
season by the leave of its Lord. " [al-Qur'an, Ibraaheem(14):24-25] Dr.
Al-Qaradaawee eloquently describes the effect of this da`wah upon the person,
by influencing all of its personality and ultimately all of the society:

"Da`wah seeks to penetrate the innermost
recesses of man to transform him into a godly person in his conceptions,
emotions and behavior by altering his thoughts, feelings, and will as well
as the whole of his being, thereby shaping him into a different person.
It also shakes up the structure of the society and alters its inherited
beliefs, well-established traditions, moral conventions, and prevailing
systems."

There is no doubt that all our shortcomings
are related to our level of faith. Many consider unity of Muslims to be
one of the most fundamental issues that we should concentrate our efforts
on, since without strong unity Muslims are unable to face their problems.
However, unity cannot be achieved through organizations or lectures, nor
can it be achieved by spending money. We need to realize that it was Allah
(subhanahu wa ta`ala) Himself who united the hearts of the Sahaba, once
faith entered their hearts: "And He has united their (believers') hearts.
If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their
hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise."
[al-Qur'an, al-Anfaal(8):63] So there is no way for establishing unity,
brotherhood or an Islamic society except through profound faith and righteous
action.

Consequently, the first step for
us to take is to correct our faith. Anything else would be short-sightedness
and lead to failure. We must learn and teach the true Islamic faith; its
realities, signs and benefits. Learning the faith should be accompanied
by learning about shirk and disbelief, so that Muslims safeguard from the
disbelief and misguidance of the disbelievers. To strengthen our faith
we must put the Qur'an back to its proper place in the Muslim's life. The
Qur'an is a book of guidance that is to be understood and abided by. Not
merely recited and used as a talisman.

Cultivating
one's personality and character should also come under top priorities.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam
said, "The best believers are those with the best character." One of the
duties of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam was purifying people around
him, by helping them acquire noble character and leave any evil that was
in their souls. Spirituality and piety also need to be developed. Muslim
scholars must act as Rabbaaniyyoon, teaching Muslims simple things first,
before proceeding to more complicated matters, while Muslims must turn
to their scholars for guidance and leave interpreting religion without
knowledge. This is a very grave matter which is one of the major causes
of many problems that both Muslims and non-Muslims are facing today. Every
innovation and act of shirk in its origin have speaking about Allah (subhanahu
wa taÕala) and His religion without knowledge. This is why it is
such a great priority that Muslims learn to consult scholars in religious
matters and speak only based on certain knowledge. Were Muslims to follow
the way of Aboo Bakr as-Siddeeq, who said, "What earth will hold me, and
what heaven will protect me if I say something concerning the Book of Allah
which I do not know", there would probably be no secularism, modernism,
feminism, rejection of the Sunnah and other deviations present among the
Muslims.

The concept of hijrah represents
a major factor in the life of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wassalam
and a major struggle and effort to establish a community of Islam. This
concept could be modified according to the situation in the West, to internal
hijrah, whereby Muslims of all nationalities would gather themselves in
various areas in the West, forming strong communities. Such communities
do not exist today and due to that, protection and support of the Muslim
community are lacking. Internal hijrah would provide easier circumstances
for establishment of masaajid, Islamic schools and real institutions needed
to satisfy the requirements of Islam on the personal, familial and societal
level.

While the priorities discussed more
specifically refer to da`wah to Muslims, da`wah to non -Muslims is as important.
The issue of priorities with regards to non-Muslims is clear: The most
important matters are bringing the disbelievers away from their shirk to
belief in Oneness of Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) and Messengership of Muhammad
sallallahu alayhe wassalam, and teaching them the true purpose of their
existence.

Lastly, it is important to mention
that the first ones that Muslims should call to Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala)
and warn are their families. Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) says in the Qur'an:
"O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families from the Fire
whose fuel will be people and stones (idols). " [al-Qur'an, at-Tahreem(66):6]
Family is the basic nucleus of the society and when that institution is
healthy, all of the society will be alike

The situation
resulting from not giving necessary attention to priorities and concentrating
on less central issues has serious consequences.

Doing the wrong things, in the wrong
place, at the wrong time can result in placing efforts in activities that
can often be delayed or even eliminated, while those that have the strongest
impact and that are most urgent are forgotten and neglected. Less central
issues have been given a great deal of importance, while the fundamental
ones have been neglected. Muslims even spend a lot of time arguing over
subsidiary matters. Muslims have also given more attention to some voluntary
forms of worship, and even those that have no basis in the Sharee`ah, over
those that are obligatory. That is how dhikr became more important than
enjoining good and forbidding evil. Ibn ul-Qayyim explained this as follows:
"The Shaitan has misled most people by beautifying for them the performance
of certain voluntary acts of worship such as voluntary prayers and voluntary
fasting while neglecting other obligatory acts of worship such as enjoining
the good and eradicating the evil, to the extent that they do not even
make the intention of performing them whenever they are able to".

This neglect with regards to priorities
has resulted in Muslims losing their faith, the source of their strength.
The present weakness is used by the enemies of Islam to further prolong
the current state of affairs. Dr al-Qaradaawee says, "The only form of
Islam allowed by the enemies of Islam is that upheld by the dervishes and
the professional traders in religion; the 'Islam' which only celebrates
occasions, supports despotic rulers, and prays for them to have a 'long
life.' It is an 'Islam' based on Divine pre-determination and 'no-choice'
in belief, sanctions Islamically condemned bid`a (innovation) in `ibaadah
(worship), permits passive ethics and intellectual rigidity, and encourages
emphasis on minor rather than major and vital issues. Those who follow
and promote this 'Islam' are patronized by corrupt rulers. Even the irreligious,
secularist rulers bless this form of religion, show respect and support
to its advocates in order to enable them to lull the masses and induce
them to the status quo, and engage the youth in a web of illusions, symbols,
terms and trivialities. Perhaps this is what led Marx to claim that 'religion
is the opiate of the people.'"

Though
tawheed always remains the central theme of da`wah and the end we want
to reach, the situation may dictate different, more specific priorities,
depending on time and place.

While Islamic faith is relatively
firmly established in certain areas of the world, in others there is a
total ignorance of the religion of Islam. Obviously, the daa`iya would
not speak about the same issues and on the same level at such two places.
A good example of priorities changing according to place is that certain
sects that appear only in certain places do not have to be refuted elsewhere.
So while there is need to warn people against the deviations of the Nation
of Islam in North America, that is really of little importance in Bosnia
or Pakistan. Similarly, there are different shirk practices in different
places that need to be corrected, but concentration of efforts and priorities
will depend on the relevant deviation in a particular place. Nevertheless,
da`wah may very depending on whether the people being addressed are atheists,
Hindus or other types of polytheists such asAhlul-Kitaab.

Priorities also differ with time.
Centuries ago, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam was calling
people to Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala), he did not have to emphasize the
fact that Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) is the Creator of the Universe and
the One Who owns it and administers it. This was common knowledge even
among the Jaahilee Arabs, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam concentrated
on correcting their beliefs about Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) and calling
them to worship Him, rather than speaking to them about Allah's existence.
Nowadays, the situation differs in many areas of the world. Atheism and
agnosticism are not uncommon, so therefore there is need to invite people
to the belief in Allah's existence. All these relates to calling people
to worship of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala.

At times there are certain pressing
issues that need to be addressed. During Ahmad ibn Hanbal's time, the issue
of non-creation of the Qur'an was very important, while today calling people
to even more basic issues such as recognizing Allah's existence and worshipping
Him is more important. Various books of creed written since the time of
the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wassalam emphasized those issues
that were most controversial at the time of writing. Therefore a book of
creed that explained the differences between the Jahmiyya and Ahl us Sunnah
wal Jamaa`ah that was written centuries ago would certainly be of much
value even today. However the emphasis would have to be given to the issues
that are more pressing today, such as irjaa', ash`arism, or secularism,
which today is probably the greatest single challenge to the Muslims, and
one of the main causes of disbelief.

Also, knowledge of the events of
which the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam informed us that will take
place in the future may dictate some of our concentrating of efforts in
certain places more than in others. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wassalam
informed Muslims of various battles that will occur and we should therefore
keep this in mind and support da`wah in places such as Palestine, so as
to strengthen the Muslims’ position before events such as al-Marhamat ul-Kubraa
take place.

It is also important for Muslims
when giving da`wah to realize that the issues and problems that require
effort back in their homelands are not necessarily the same as where they
are currently situated. Neglect of the true situation and the fact that
priorities differ with place and time may result in undesired results,
which is yet another reason for wisdom in da`wah.

The first
duty of the Muslims is to rectify their beliefs by means of learning on
the basis of clear evidence and in accordance with the correct understanding
of the early generations of Muslims.

The main concern in da`wah should
be calling to monotheism and the `ibadah of Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala).
That was the way of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wassalam, and
the way of those who follow him. Once tawheed is accepted, we can proceed
to explain other aspects of Islam, beginning with the five pillars. "Therefore,
we want to correct the people's `aqeedah and make them aware of all kinds
of outward and inward shirk and encourage them to do the obligatory things
and avoid the forbidden, and we want to encourage them to stick to the
sunan and the mustahabbaat [recommended deeds], to incite them to avoid
the makruuhaat [disliked deeds]."

It is our hope that by performing
da`wah in this manner will help us fulfill our responsibilities and that
Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) will count us among those about whom He says:

"And who is
better in speech than he who invites to Allah and does righteous deeds
and says: 'I am one of the Muslims.'" [al-Qur'an, 41:43]